May Hope and Love Not Disappoint Us

Today's Scripture Reading

Romans 5: 1-5 (NRSV)

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Blog Reflection

Today is one of those days for me in which the news around us is so discouraging that I want something to come from God to automatically change what is happening.  Several evangelistic Pastors have spoken in favor of the Government putting LGBT people to death.  We have an election in Wisconsin with money in politics thanks to Citizens United drowning out the voices of those who are affected by politics and wealth so unfairly.  There doesn't seem to be much hope for progressive Christians and people of good will.

When we pray the Office of Noonday Prayer, one of the optional verses to read is Romans 5: 5.  "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."   This verse seems so important during this week after Pentecost.   The Holy Spirit has come upon us.  Just like those first Apostles who faced the rejection from their current surroundings as they wanted to share the message of the saving work of God in Jesus Christ, so do those of us here in the 21st Century.   All of that wonderful power that came upon those believers on Pentecost Sunday was not to glorify themselves, but to become messengers and ministers of radical hospitality and reconciliation.

While the news and events around us are difficult to say the very least, they are not the end of the story.  Just as what happened to those first followers of Jesus as they faced persecutions, beatings and so forth.  They were not without hope or the love of God that was poured out to them by the Holy Spirit.  It was because of their hope in God that they were able to strengthen their faith and love one another to continue to work for the kind of change that would strengthen the communities around them.   Those of us who know that the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ would do well to also be faithful to what we know is true concerning what being a Christian means.  

It means remembering that God's love is unconditional and all inclusive.  All of God's children are loved and valued.  We too are called to love and value one another. 

It means reminding ourselves and other Christians that God does not condone violence, oppression and cruelty as a means to spread the Gospel.   Those who share a Gospel of discrimination, so as to encourage violence and financial gain while others are severely injured or killed, are proclaiming a Gospel that is fake and poorly understood.  The Gospel that we believe in, by which we were baptized into a relationship with the Holy Trinity and each other, holds us accountable to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being, with God's help" (Book of Common Prayer, p. 305).  We take this very seriously, because the last thing we want to do is offend God by mistreating Jesus who is present in another human person.

As we pray for hope and look for that love that the Holy Spirit that was poured into our hearts at Pentecost, we also pray for God to lead God's people forward from this point.  We pray that the Holy Spirit will also open the hearts and minds of those who preach a false gospel of violence and prejudice, to work instead for hospitality and true reconciliation for all people.   May those of us Christians who pray and believe in our God of extravagant love and uncompromising mercy, become the eyes, mouth, feet and hands of the inclusive and healing Jesus.


Prayers

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful
people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:
Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all
things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever. Amen.  (Collect for the Day of Pentecost, Book of Common Prayer, p. 227).

Grant, O Lord, that the course of this world may be
peaceably governed by your providence; and that your
Church may joyfully serve you in confidence and serenity;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 3, Book of Common Prayer, p. 229).

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815).  

The Day of Pentecost: Holy Spirit, Lead Us Into Truth

Today's Scripture Readings

Acts 2: 1-21 (NRSV)

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs-- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

`In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams.

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

in those days I will pour out my Spirit;

and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "

Psalm 104 (BCP. p.736)


Romans 8:22-27 (NRSV)

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 (NRSV)

Jesus said to his disciples, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But, now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Blog Reflection

These past two weeks since President Obama announced that he supports marriage equality for LGBT people have been amazing.  We have witnessed the movement of the Holy Spirit in wonderful and new ways.   We have also seen how quickly prejudice and violence rises from those who continue to use the Bible and the Christian religion as a means for hate and cruelty.

This past week we have been reading and hearing about the Pastor in North Carolina who has called for all "queers to be executed."   Many in America both religious and non-religious have responded with outrage and horror.   Yet, the Pastor's own church members supported what he said.   It is amazing and unbelievable how hate in the Name of Jesus Christ can be so popular.

Is it any wonder that so many upon hearing about things such as this turn away from the Christian religion?    Why would anyone want to participate in a religion with messengers who preach hate and violence, and encourage others to do the same?

Because those who preach and teach that Christianity and the Bible are the means for discrimination, cruelty and oppression are telling only one side of the story.   It is not the Christ side.   Their story of Jesus that suggests fear and destruction does not reflect the accurate picture of Jesus or the Christian religion.  We could easily say that they are taking the Lord's Name in vein and they do not even know it.

As we celebrate today the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Day, we see how the Advocate changed the Apostles instantly.  Their moods, their activities and so forth were transformed so quickly, it looked  like they were drunk at 9am.   Peter rose and told the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and how this fulfills what the prophets had foretold.   The Church was born and given their sense of mission.  But, the story does not end there.   Just like the truth about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church and the Bible do not end with the book of Revelation.  Nor are they perfectly understood or described by one preachers words, or any particular church council.

Jesus said: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."

The first time I heard this Gospel passage preached on in a way that is open to diversity, was by now retired Bishop Christopher Senyonjo of Uganda.   He preached about how all of the truth about homosexuality or any part of the Gospel is not finished, but is a continually evolving.  Jesus recognized that the work of the Holy Spirit revealing God's truth to humankind would not end with the Apostles, but would continue to be unraveled throughout human history.  Through the words of Jesus from John's Gospel today, we know that truth is something that is not static, nor is it abstract.  It does not end with one declaration, nor is it "common sense" when their are so many different cultures, races, sexual orientations, genders, gender identities/expressions, languages and religious that understand truth to mean different things.  Yet, we know that the Holy Spirit, the feminine nature of God, continues to speak whatever she hears, and declares what is to come from the heart of God.

It is no accident that I might remember this Scripture being preached on by Bishop Christopher.  He preached and continues to preach on this matter, because of Uganda's continued efforts to pass a bill that would mean that LGBT individuals who are open, suspected or outed could be put in prison or executed by hanging.   The bill would mean that Pastors, counselors, teachers and/or parents who do not report homosexuals to the authorities could themselves face prison time.  The bill has been supported and encouraged by American evangelical missionaries of hate.

Yet, here we are on Pentecost Sunday, a week after the message of Pastor Worley calling for the execution of LGBT people.  Particularly after North Carolina voters passed a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality earlier this month.  This just goes to show that Christianists are not happy with just passing marriage amendments.  They literally want LGBT people eliminated.  Once discrimination becomes a matter of being passed by voters, where does it stop?

Our Mother, the Holy Spirit desires to lead us into all truth.  Including the truth that the Church has got many things wrong.   The Holy Spirit can certainly reveal that the way the Bible has been interpreted and Church tradition has framed the discussion of homosexuality all through the years, as being totally wrong.

The question for us is, are we open to the Holy Spirit leading us into all truth?   Are we so arrogant that we refuse to be open to the Holy Spirit leading us to be more inclusive and loving, and less biased and violent?  Are we open that our Mother, the Holy Spirit may help us to know that the power of salvation and redemption by way of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, gives us every reason to love the unlovable?   To reach out to those marginalized and oppressed by the Church and society to minister to them by the way of radical hospitality and reconciliation? 

God the Holy Spirit comes to us so that we may know God's comfort and consolation in the midst of the pains, trials and sufferings of life.  She comes to share her grace and truth that it is okay to let her open up the Pandora's Boxes that we put God, our neighbors and ourselves into, to keep us from accepting and loving those who are different from ourselves.   Including allowing ourselves to let go of any criteria we have developed for how we judge others, and realizing that all of us, regardless of who we are, are in need of forgiveness, redemption and the hope of being loved unconditionally and inclusively.  To call on Church leadership to stop using our religion as an excuse to hate and exclude.   Instead, the Holy Spirit comes to help us to exercise the ministry of welcome and healing of those broken relationships that Jesus Christ came to heal.

As we conclude the Easter Season today, we go forth having been renewed in faith, hope and love.   Knowing that God has forgiven us, and reconciled us to God's Self by way of the Cross and Resurrection.  That our Mother, the Holy Spirit comes to help us by her grace and tender teachings to know that she groans in intercession before God on our behalf, so that we may be God's witnesses of all that Jesus Christ taught and did, being open to being lead into all truth.   The truth that does not end on Pentecost.  It only begins as we are open to what God's Spirit will do in and through us, if we are open to learning more truth as she hears it from the heart of Almighty God.


Prayers

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful
people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:
Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all
things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever. Amen.  (Collect for Pentecost, Book of Common Prayer, p. 227)


O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.  (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of  Common Prayer, p. 818).


Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p. 824).

Seventh Sunday of Easter: Being One and Being Inclusive of Diversity are Inseperable

Today's Scripture Readings

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 (NRSV)

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, "Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus-- for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry. So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us-- one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection." So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Psalm 1 (BCP., p.585).


1 John 5:9-13 (NRSV)

If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 17:6-19 (NRSV)

Looking up to heaven, Jesus prayed, "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth."

Blog Reflection

Jesus' famous prayer for the Apostle's to be one.  A prayer that has been the source used for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on one hand and then used by many Roman Catholic Bishops to suggest that any church community or denomination not united to the See of Peter are not part of the "one Church" on the other.   This same Gospel gets used to accuse other church communities who have accepted lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as ordained Bishops, Priests and Deacons, and/or began blessing same-sex relationships, of having "broken off from the one true Gospel."     This passionate plea by Jesus for his followers to be one is used time and again, to give Jesus a very bad Name.

This past Thursday, we commemorated the Ascension of Jesus to the right hand of God.  What that means and how it happened is different for everyone.  Just as each person has a unique understanding of what the resurrection means.  No two people discussing the Holy Trinity will understand it in the same way.  But, is their belief in God any less real because of their disagreements?  

When the Anglican Church was being formed, among the ways that the founders sought to make that distinguished us from Rome, is that although we pray in common, we do not have to believe in common.  As Episcopalians who are part of the Anglican Communion, we cherish independent thinking and the ability for each person to arrive at their own belief's, but still pray with us all the things Christians believe.  Yet, one thing we do understand is that our Baptismal Covenant incorporates us into the Body of Christ, and Holy Communion continues to united us one to another through the Body and Blood of Christ.   We believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but we do not define how that presence is real (ie. transubstantiation or consubstantiation).  We leave that up to God and the individual to work out, while at the same time feeling free to dialogue with each other about our differences.  Can differences of opinion about doctrines, dogmas, sacraments, the interpretation of Scripture and so forth, still mean a oneness among the followers of Jesus?  As Episcopalians and Anglicans, we answer yes.  Because one matter that we do understand is the commandment of Jesus to love God, our neighbors and ourselves inclusively, is something we are all called to do.  That is something we can all agree on.

Christians have become so settled with disagreeing about doctrines and the like so long, that we do risk forgetting that the commandment of Jesus to be one in the loving of God, others and ourselves is really what Christians are all about.   No two people have to agree on anything.  However, seeking the common good of another individual who is different from ourselves, is what Jesus' prayer to be one entails.  It is not just a prayer about our creeds, sacraments, leaders or worship languages, etc.  It is a prayer to be one in what God through Jesus Christ did in his earthly ministry, and now continues to pray for all of us to do as he prays for us from his throne in glory.   We can use the Bible literally and even the meaning of the sacraments to exclude LGBT people from participating in Communion and be spot on if we want to be like that.  Except that by doing so, we have failed to love God, our neighbor and ourselves, making our actions null and void.  Read 1 Corinthians 13 for a better explanation of that one. Because the oneness of God's people to see God's presence in LGBT people, women who have had abortions, individuals of different races, religions, languages, behaviors etc, and seek to exclude them from the Church and the sacraments, is the Body of Christ, that is the Church, fractured. 

Being one and being inclusive of diversity are inseparable from each other.  They compliment each other.  They complete one another. When Church leadership uses the Gospel to instruct and guide Christians away from being inclusive of diversity, they render the answer of Jesus' prayer as unanswerable.  When Christians fail to hold Church leadership accountable for not being inclusive of diversity, we too grieve the heart of God, by not participating in the answer to the prayer of Jesus coming to pass.  When we work for justice and equality for all people, serving the needs of the poor, the hurting, those affected by political, religious and social oppression, we are making progress so that Jesus prayer for us to be one, is a step closer to becoming a living reality.

How are we playing our role of answering the prayer of Jesus?

What are some things we might do in the weeks and months ahead to help the Church answer Jesus' prayer for his followers to be one?

How might we be an example of someone who wants to be an answer to Jesus' prayer?

I think we could be a better example if we will think a little bit more about the ending to the Prayer after Communion on page 365 of the Book of Common Prayer.

Send us now into the world in peace,
and grant us strength and courage
to love and serve you
with gladness and singleness of heart;
through Christ our Lord.  Amen.


Prayers

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son
Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to
strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior
Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.  (Collect for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Book of  Common Prayer, p. 226).


O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.  (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p. 818).


Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p. 823).

Ascension Day: Time for Christians to Work for Equality and Justice

Today's Scripture Readings

Acts 1:1-11 (NRSV)

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Psalm 47 (BCP, p. 650)


Ephesians 1:15-23 (NRSV)

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Luke 24:44-53 (NRSV)

Jesus said to his disciples, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you-- that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. See, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Blog Reflection
 
When ever I read the last verses of the reading from Acts: "why do you stand there gazing into heaven?"  I get the impression that the Angels were telling the Apostles to get to work.   You can only stand looking up to the heavens looking for something awesome to happen so long, while the work to be done in the here and now waits for your hands and mine.   St. Benedict thought of this same kind of thing when he wrote in his Rule:  "Idleness is the enemy of the soul" (Chapter 48, The Daily Labor).

I often think that one of the dangers for Christians always thinking about the end of our lives and judgement day, is that we don't pay attention to what is here before us.  We worry so much about the eternal destiny of our souls, that we forget that there is salvation of our souls here and now as we do what is required of us today, at this moment.  When we seek to work for equality and justice for the marginalized of the Church and society, we honor the work of Christ, who ascended into heaven.  We prepare a place for the Reign of God here on earth, as well as in heaven.  So we say in the Lord's Prayer.

Here at the 40th Day of Easter, we commemorate the Ascension of Jesus to the right hand of God.  Before he ascended, Jesus called upon those first Apostles to proclaim the Gospel and baptize all nations.  So Jesus calls upon us to do the same.  The Gospel of not just what Jesus said, but what he did.  Loving the unlovable.   Healing the sick.  Raising the dead.  Calling people to repentance and forgiveness of sins, and reconciling the lost and forsaken to God's holy family.  These are the things that the Church is called to do and proclaim.   But, we are also to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost eleven days from today, so that we will be lead into all truth.  The truth that never stops revealing the power of God through those who believe in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Yet, what we have seen throughout Church history and even in today's time, the message of the Gospel being hijacked by Biblical literalists who make Christianity into a religion of hate and discrimination.  The Name of the Lord is taken in vain as wars in the Name of Christ are begun because a certain group of Christians support slavery for African Americans, or the destruction of the Native Americans, the targeting of Jews and Muslims.   Fundamentalist and arch-conservative Christians stand gazing into heaven and stuck in the dark ages, use a counterfeit version of the Gospel to support the discrimination towards women and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.  Even though Jesus himself, never said a word about homosexuality.   Paul's words in places like Romans 1: 27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9 etc, get wrenched out of context, and used to support cruel rhetoric and violent behavior.  In the Name of a loving and all-inclusive God.  

We have been given a sharing in the mystery of God's love in Jesus Christ so as to welcome the stranger, the outcast and those who are told that there is no place for them in the Church and society.  There is Gospel work to be done, and everyone is welcome to be part of the efforts.  Jesus welcomes all nations, races, languages, sexual orientations, genders, gender identities/expressions etc, to be participants in the work of God's redemption and salvation through the work of the Church for the good of all humankind.  No exceptions.

All of us Christians have work to be done in our own hearts.  All of us carry that something for someone who is different from ourselves, in a poor attitude.  We all have our moments of being uncomfortable with someone that just makes us a little bit afraid of them, but we just do not talk about it.  We act in certain ways, and pray that no one notices. But, we know in our own hearts, some thing is just not right. We all have some kind of hypocrisy inside of us.  That is God speaking to us.  God is answering the prayers of Jesus, our only Mediator and Advocate, as the Holy Spirit moves on our hearts to look at ourselves through the eyes of God's forgiving grace and mercy.   But, calling us to a new understanding of God, others and ourselves.  
As we open our hearts and minds to the healing of God's Holy Spirit, we also pray that we will be motivated to become people of radical hospitality and reconciliation so as to fulfill the call of Jesus before his Ascension.


Prayers

Almighty God, whos blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ
ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things:
Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his
promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end
of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory
everlasting. Amen. (Collect for Ascension Day, Book of Common Prayer, p. 226).

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815).

Gracious Father, we pray for they holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.  (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).

O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.  (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p. 818).

  

Sixth Sunday of Easter: Love One Another, Marriage Equality Exemplifies This

Today's Scriptures

Acts 10: 44-48 (NRSV)

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

Psalm 98 (BCP. p. 727)


1 John 5: 1-6 (NRSV)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.

John 15: 9-17 (NRSV)

Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."

Blog Reflection

What a week it has been   This past Wednesday when the media blitz began over President Obama's interview at which he spoke out in support of marriage equality, I could not wait for my partner Jason to get off the phone so I could tell him.   It was an exciting and historic moment.  One in which as Rev. Susan Russell wrote: "I don't just believe in it [Evolution], I have seen it.."

How appropriate if not prophetic that this Sunday we would read from the Gospel of John the new commandment of Jesus.  "Love one another as I have loved you." What is important about this Gospel is not just the words "love one another" but also what comes after.  "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."   Here, Jesus implies a love that cannot be explained or described.  It must be lived, experienced and witnessed to.  Then, such love is visible and way beyond any thing human words could say or write. 

The kind of love that Jesus is calling us to in this new commandment gets its background from what is written in the Hebrew Scriptures.  "Love the Lord, Your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself" (see Matthew 22: 36-40).   Jesus invites us to take that one step further today.  To love another with a sense of authenticity.  To love beyond just saying to someone "I love you" as beautiful as those words are.  This kind of love is found in the heart, but moves beyond itself for the good of another.   It is the very love by which our God gave the life of God's Son, Jesus Christ on the Cross, and then rose again from the dead to give to all of us, the hope of new and unending life.   It is the love that calls for sacrifice and a total giving of self for the benefit of the other.

What is so awesome about President Obama's announcement this past Wednesday, is that at last he sees beyond the issue of whether or not homosexuality is blessed by God, but that same-sex couples like any other two people who get married, do it because of a deep abiding love for each other.  A love that comes from God and is expressed through the same sexual and physical love of two people who literally lay down their lives for each other.  People who mirror God's unconditional and all-inclusive love for each other and for all the world to witness to.  A love that knows that we make mistakes, but we love each other any way.  A love that doesn't give up, but keeps on working at it, out of our love for the other person.

Marriage equality has nothing to do with redefining marriage or family.  It simply means that we recognize that the love of God is not limited to physical and romantic expressions of people of the opposite sex, but is just as beautifully expressed by same-sex. couples.

Many Christians have been evolving over the issue of homosexuality and marriage equality.   It is still a very controversial subject, but the playing field is leavening.   The "old leaven of malice and evil" is giving way to the "unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." and for that, let the Church say: "Alleluia."  Many more are coming to the understanding that the Bible in and of itself does not condemn homosexuality and it certainly does not label LGBT people as the worst of all sinners as Christianists would have us believe.   This matter was debated this week in an NPR discussion on the Morning Edition.

Rev . Susan Russell responded: "Jesus does say the most important commandments are "Love God" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Given that, Russell believes if Jesus were here today, he would celebrate committed, same-sex relationships".

Among many important attributes of observing Jesus' commandment to love one another as we are loved, is to be open to better understanding one another in all of our diversity.  We can "lay down our loves for one another" by letting ourselves be taught about other races, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities/expressions and so forth.  As we are being led into more truths about Jesus and others, we learn to embrace one another and commit ourselves to the work of justice and equality for all people.   We can actually see the face of Jesus in the poor, the challenged, the immigrant, the individual in need of what health care reform can do for them, and why we need to pray that the U.S. Supreme Court does not take it away from us.   We can speak up for workers who are losing their collective bargaining rights and oppose voter ID laws, because we want everyone to have the opportunity to work for a good living wage and have a voice in our government.   And last, but certainly not least, we would understand why it is such an evil for North Carolina voters to take away marriage equality rights from their neighbors who are LGBT.  Not only marriage equality, but also civil protections for non-married heterosexual and homosexual individuals to defend themselves against domestic abuse.

If you are reading this blog today, I want to ask you to help the LGBT citizens in Minnesota as we face our own vote on a constitutional amendment this November.  Our citizens will be voting on an amendment to place discrimination on the Minnesota State Constitution that will prevent LGBT Minnesotans from gaining marriage equality.  My blog readers can help greatly with a contribution to Minnesotans United for All Families.   We also call them MN-United.  They are the official campaign working to defeat the constitutional amendment in November.  They need all the help they can get.  You will be happy to know that the Episcopal Church of Minnesota voted last October to oppose the amendment, and that St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral has joined the coalition to defeat the amendment. 

"Love one another" is what Jesus said.  Marriage equality is just such an example.  We need all Christians and people of good will to join in the effort to gain it and maintain it, so that "love in any language" will truly be "fluently spoken here." (Love in Any Language, by Sandi Patty).


Prayers

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good
things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such
love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above
all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we
can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Sixth Sunday of Easter, Book of Common Prayer, p. 225).


Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.  (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis, Book of Common Prayer, p. 833).

 

Fifth Sunday of Easter: Love Unites Us to the Vine

Today's Scripture Readings

Acts 8: 26-40 (NRSV)

An angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it." So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:

"Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,

and like a lamb silent before its shearer,

so he does not open his mouth.

In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken away from the earth."

The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Psalm 22: 24-30 (BCP, p. 612)




1 John 4: 7-21 (NRSV)

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

John 15: 1-8 (NRSV)

Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

Blog Reflection

The Easter Season brings us an interesting turn of events.  Today we read about the work of Philip sharing the Gospel with a eunuch (the gay men of that time), the love of God in 1 John, and the vine and the branches in John's Gospel.  There is a lot for us to consider here.

If we as Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled the prophesies of the Hebrew Scriptures, then among them would be Isaiah 56: 2-5.

Happy is the mortal who does this,
   the one who holds it fast,
who keeps the sabbath, not profaning it,
   and refrains from doing any evil.

Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say,
   ‘The Lord will surely separate me from his people’;
and do not let the eunuch say,
   ‘I am just a dry tree.’
For thus says the Lord:
To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,
   who choose the things that please me
   and hold fast my covenant,
I will give, in my house and within my walls,
   a monument and a name
   better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
   that shall not be cut off.

This would mean that eunuch was someone cut off from worshiping in the House of the Lord was now to be included.  The eunuch whom Philip meets and answers the questions of, is someone who would have experienced exclusion from the worshiping communities.  When Philip proclaims Jesus to be the one that the eunuch is reading about, Philip does not ask him to renounce who he is.  He calls him to repentance and forgiveness of his sins.  Philip baptized the eunuch without requiring him to become any different than he already was, except that  his life was without a Savior.  The eunuch remained such after his baptism, only now he could live his life in the knowledge that he had been redeemed by Christ.  The eunuch received the promise that was foretold him in Isaiah 56: 2-5.  

The writer of 1 John tells us that God is love.  We are told that the love of God and love of our neighbor are inseparable.  To say we love God while hating a sister or brother makes us liars.  God's love is authenticated when we love those who are marginalized and experience oppression and deprivation.  Loving others whom we do see, is a revelation of the love of God whom we cannot see.   Love is seen with the eyes of the body, heart and soul.  As human beings, even people of faith who do not live by sight alone, we tend to believe in something when we are touched by our senses.  Even if it is something we cannot physically handle.  When we can feel love moving our hearts through someone's kind gesture or support of inclusion and equality for all people, the love of God becomes knowable, because it has been experienced.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people along with many others who are considered "unacceptable" by the Church and society are like the eunuchs of our time.  They have been separated and told that there is no place for them either in church ministry or even in civil life.  Whole lists of criteria are created to find a reason to exclude someone.  Many parts of that set of standards are based on false information that leads to negative stereotypes.  The list becomes very useful, when someone's ways of behavior, expression or appearance just doesn't quite match what we think they should be.  Excluding people like this flies in the face of what we are told in both Acts and 1 John today. 

Our Gospel reading gives another look at others, this time through the words of Jesus as written by the author of John.  Jesus describes himself as the vine, and those who follow him to be the branches.   We bear good fruit when we abide in Jesus, because apart from him we can do nothing. 

The set of discourses found from John 13-17 have become part of the "weapons of mass destruction" on the part of Christians.  Jesus' proclamation of himself as the "way, truth and life" in John 14: 6 have become the hallmark Bible passage used by evangelists working to convert individuals from other religious traditions, sexual orientations and/or gender expressions etc for centuries.  The Gospel for today about the vine and the branches are among such that are used.   It is important to note that these writings are most likely not directly from John the Apostle and Evangelist.  They are part of a collection of writings by many from the Johannine communities into which many of them would have inserted their interpretations of what they understood.  They may very well have not been word for word what John would have said or written.  Those transcribing would have been a part of the communities that were experiencing a lot of persecution by Jewish people and the Roman Empire for exercising their faith.  What has been left to us in these Gospel writings, may be insertions and not necessarily literal words from Jesus or John for that matter.

The origin of these texts means one thing, while the truths contained in them have something to say to us, then and now. 

If we understand Jesus as the vine and God as the vinegrower, then we can also comprehend that our diverse ways of being, loving, believing, etc are not barriers for God to reach out to others through us.  That is, unless we allow ourselves to become those "fruitless branches" by way of our own prejudices.   We can render ourselves blind to others who worship and live within our communities.  Even those of other faiths and philosophies.  Yet, when we witness the actions of others who are different from ourselves, while they seek the common good of others through whatever means they use, we can read the Gospel through them.  Just as we can see God working in others who are different from ourselves, so we ought to give witness to the loving redemption of God in Jesus Christ through being inclusive and sharing of ourselves with everyone regardless of our diversity.  A hand and heart that reaches out to seek justice and equality for all people, is God acting and working, even if they do not pray the same creed as we do.   The desire to do good things for the benefit of others is in and of itself, something that comes from God.  Because without God: "you can do nothing."  So it is with all of us. We too, can reach out to receive, love and reconcile others to their communities and God, only so long as we who believe and pray to Jesus remain in him as we do the work.

As we continue through the Easter Season with only a week and a half to Ascension, and then ten days until Pentecost, we might want to spend some time praying and thinking about our relationship to the vine as well as other branches in our communities.  The Risen Christ is alive in our work for inclusion, equality and justice.  We have the extravagant love of God to help us to love those we see and touch within our own churches, neighborhoods and so forth.  It is a good thing to be about the ministry of hospitality and reconciliation.  Even if other branches do not share our view of the who the vine is.  All of us can bear fruit of some kind.


Prayers

Almighty god, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant
us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way,
the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his
steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ
your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Fifth Sunday of Easter, Book of Common Prayer, p. 225).


Gracious Father, we pray for they holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen. (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).


Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p. 823).